


A Winchester Confession

by TheRighteousMan (FullmetalFlameElric)



Series: See Rupert Slither [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe, Animator Castiel, Coming Out, Developing Relationship, Established Castiel/Dean Winchester, Rupert the Snake - Freeform, Supernatural Comics, Tattoo Artist Dean
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-25
Updated: 2013-10-25
Packaged: 2017-12-30 10:23:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1017461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FullmetalFlameElric/pseuds/TheRighteousMan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean tells his family about Castiel. Castiel makes the first move.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Winchester Confession

**Author's Note:**

> So... this is the brain baby of my lovely girlfriend and I. She is the Castiel to my Dean. No. Seriously. She is. For those of you at Anime Detour 2013, you saw us running that panel. Yeah. Y'all know the one. Gives you an idea what to expect... Be afraid.
> 
> So yeah... here we go!

It had been a month since they first met. A full month since Dean had asked Castiel out. A month and seven dates later found the two of them sitting in a small family owned café enjoying a simple meal and easy conversation.

“So wait...” Castiel started, chuckling softly. “This is something you started in high school?”

Dean nodded, grinning broadly. “Yeah. Sam asked me to help him out on a school project. His creative writing teacher asked him to come up with a full story over the period of his independent study. He was allowed to get help from anyone in any form as long as the writing was his own. At the same time, my art teacher wanted me to work on drawing the same figures in different positions. Sam asked me to help him by illustrating his story and I’d get my assignment done as well.”

“Naturally that translates into making a comic about vampires and demons.” Castiel added dryly, blue eyes dancing with amusement.

“Naturally.” Dean scoffed playfully. “What else would it mean?” He’d gotten lucky. The guy knew how to take a joke and dish them out. Very few people Dean had dated had grasped that particular skill. Seeing Castiel’s eyes alight with humor and fond teasing, it caused an odd flipping sensation in Dean’s stomach.

Rolling his eyes, Castiel shook his head fondly at the other. “They liked it then?”

“Hell no. They hated it. We got full marks for it, but only because we followed the criteria we were given. If not, they’d have failed us. The entire first issue of Supernatural is a fine tuned version of the original high school work.”

“That’s impressive, Dean. Really, what you and Sam have done together. What you’ve made of it. It’s honestly amazing how fast it grew into... this. Before I even knew what Supernatural was, before Gabriel got into it, I saw it all over the place. Without even knowing. Did... you even think it’d be this big?”

“Honestly? No. I expected to sell maybe 50 copies and that’d be it. But then Chuck saw us at an anime collection trying to sell our comics. A week later we were sitting in a meeting and setting up a deal with them to print roughly 1000 copies to see how they’d sell. We sold out in the first week. From there it just took off.”

“I see...”

“What about you?” Dean asked, turning the talk in the direction of the man across from him. The way Castiel seemed to perk up in interest every time Dean started to ask him something. He was adorable. Loveable and just endearing in a way Sammy couldn’t even manage. It just made Dean want to wrap him up and keep him safe from the world- ok, he really needed to stop thinking and focus on what he was saying. Best not to make a fool of himself this early in. “Why’d you get into animation?”

Castiel blushed slightly and shrugged, a small lift of the shoulder before it dropped back down. Dean most certainly did not mentally squeak at how adorable it was. Definitely didn’t. “I just... always sort of had a fixation with it, I guess.” Castiel started, his smile growing a bit as he dropped his blue gaze to the table and thought. “I used to draw these... little flip comics, “ he added, looking back up to meet Dean’s gaze, his smile slowly growing as he talked. “on the corners of my notebook pages. Silly little things like a cat chasing a ball or a stick figure fending off dogs from an icecream cone. I took a course on video production and animation in high school and it was love...” His blush darkened and Dean felt his heart melt even further.

“You have any of your own animations from when you were younger?” Dean asked, head tilted, resting on a hand as he listened eagerly to the lilt of the other’s excited voice. Yeah, Dean could get used to hearing this.

“Yes. Will anyone ever see them? No.” Castiel replied, tone flat but laced with humor.

♥

Pulling up in front of Castiel’s apartment building, Dean cut the engine of the impala. His fingers twitched nervously against the steering wheel and beside him, Castiel shifted in his seat.

“I enjoyed tonight, Dean. As I have every date we’ve had... Thank you.” Castiel finally spoke up.

Dean looked to him, green meeting electric blue from across the dark interior of the impala. “Thank you for agreeing to that first date...”

A light blush lit Castiel’s cheeks in the dim lighting coming through the windows from the street lamps.

“Dean...” he spoke up after a small moment of controlling his blush. “I would... very much like to pursue this as a serious relationship...”

Dean paused, his heart skipping a small beat. A serious relationship? With Castiel? Not just casual dating, but late nights on the phone? Silly text messages? Inviting him over to stay the night? Staying over at Castiel’s? Really getting to know and share his life with Castiel?

Yeah. Yeah, Dean liked the sound of that. But that meant one thing-

“I would like if.. I could tell my family. About us... But only if you’d like this to be a serious relationship...”

He had to tell his family.

Granted, Sam likely wouldn’t have an issue. The big girl would probably be picking out colors for the wedding party soon as he found out. The kid was almost certainly 100% behind Dean and Cas’ possible relationship. Course, he’d have to get his fair share of teasing out of the way first. Nothing Dean hadn’t done to Sam when he’d started dating Jess.

No. Sam wasn’t the one that had him worried.

Letting the words sink in, Dean studied Castil closely. The other was sitting nervously, looking both hopeful and skittish, ready to bolt if Dean reacted badly. Dean’s chest tightened and he could have sworn that was when he started to fall just a bit in love with the man beside him.

“I’d like that too...” Dean answered when he realised he’d been quiet for too long. “I’d like that a lot, actually.”

“Really?” Castiel asked, his shoulder relaxing and eyes lighting up with the relief mirrored in his voice. His smile started to spread across his lips and Dean felt that odd flip in his belly again. 

“Really. I can talk to my family tomorrow.”

Castiel’s smile grew. “I’ll have to wait until Sunday, but I’ll do it then.”

“And then Monday... Come over to the shop? Around close? We can... we can go back to my place? I’ll make supper for us and we can watch a few movies... just relax?”

Great. He sounded like a blushing high school girl. What had Cas reduced him to?

“That sounds wonderful... Will I need to bring anything?” Castiel asked, gaze softening at Dean’s obvious nervousness.

Was he really going to do this?

Yes.

Yes, he was.

Cas had ruined him.

“A change of clothes.... if you’d like to stay over...”

A fine black brow quirked slightly. “Would you like me to?”

Oh god, yes. Please. Please say yes! Let me take you home! Stay! Don’t leave! Let me keep you safe and close!

Shut up.

Oh he was so far in over his head.

“Yeah. Yeah I’d really like it if you stayed over...” Dean stated instead, firmly stomping down the over eager voice in his head. Yeah, this guy had definitely broken him.

The creak of leather and suddenly Cas was there invading Dean’s personal space. Not that he minded. He rather enjoyed the sudden caress of warmth that brushed passed his lips before the feeling of Castiel’s lips on his registered.

Letting his brain catch up, he let the instinct take the wheel and leaned into the kiss. just as sweet, if not sweeter, that Dean had caught himself imagining. Their lips moved together for a moment, the brief, barely there touch of tongue a pleasant surprise.

And then Castiel was pulling back, their lips separating with a soft smack. He was still close, though. Dean could feel the gentle wash of his breath with every exhale, the warmth of his skin still close.

Opening his eyes - when had he closed them? - he met Castiel’s gaze where they were leaning over the empty center of the bench seat. Castiel offered a warm smile, the expression reaching his eyes.

“It’s a date.” He replied, voice slightly lower. The gravel quality to it causing Dean to feel the electric tingle of interest run down his spine.

There was no way he could say no to that voice.

“I look forward to it.” Dean added, his own voice coming out rougher than before. Something flickered in those blue eyes and once more, Castiel leaned in.

“So do I. Until then...” he started, sealing their lips in another kiss. It was slower, lingering even when Castiel pulled back. Dean followed slightly, stopping only as Castiel opened the door, out of reach. He met Dean’s slightly dazed gaze and tossed him a teasing, yet fond grin. “Good night, Dean.” And with that, he stepped out of the impala.

Dean blinked, forcing his brain to work through his happy buzz. “Good night...Cas...” He managed before the door shut and Castiel was walking up the steps to the complex’s door. 

Dean watched as he dug out his keys, unlocking the door and opening it. He paused to glance back at the impala, smiling and waving shyly once before disappearing inside from sight.

Starting the engine, Dean pulled back onto the road, a dopey grin firmly in place. The same one he still wore upon getting home.

Tossing his keys onto his kitchen counter, Dean shrugged off his jacket and made his way into the living room where he dropped onto the couch. Across the room, the long body of his pet snake slid up to the glass, eyes peering out curiously at the familiar man. Dean looked over and his grin widened.

“Life is good, Rupert. Life is really good...”

♥

Not even fifteen hours later, Dean found himself sitting in Sam’s kitchen. Sam was just to his left at the table, Jessica dithering around the kitchen and putting the finishing touches on the hot dish for lunch. Comfort food. Exactly what this would need for Dean to get this out.

Sam and Jess, he was sure would be fine with it. It was the people that still had yet to arrive that had Dean worried.

Their father, John, was riding in with their uncle Bobby from the garage they both worked at. Their lunch break for the day.

Bobby wasn’t biologically related. But he was as good as family to Sam and Dean. John used to be absent a lot. Not to mention the drinking habit their dad had recently started to get over. Bobby had practically raised them for a good chunk of their childhood. And despite he and John not always seeing eye to eye, the two had remained close friends even after Mary’s death when Sam was a baby.

Dean needed Bobby’s approval almost as much as his own father’s.

A knock sounded and Sam called to let them know the door was open. The door opened and shut. Boots and jackets were removed. And then there were two men appearing in the door to the kitchen.

Despite his nerves, Dean grinned upon seeing them.

He greeted Bobby first, the man removing his ever present baseball cap to keep from being rude in the presence of a lady. Jess a lady? Right. Woman hit like a dude.

Bobby returned the quick hug, patting him on the back firmly. “Good to see ya, boy.”

“You too, Bobby.” Dean replied before turning from Bobby’s warm smile to his father’s tired and greying face. He hesitated, John pulling him into a hug he finally relaxed into once he reminded himself it was his dad.

“Dean.”

“Hey, dad.”

The embrace lasted for a short period before Jess was ushering them to the table to eat. Talk was easy, laughter flowing easily as stories were swapped and Sam teased about having not proposed yet.

Then the topic turned to Dean.

“Found yourself a girl yet?” Bobby asked, eyes sparking with good humor. Dean swallowed his last bite of tatertots and ground beef harshly.

“Uh... actually... I wanted to talk to you all about that.”

John’s gaze zeroed in on him just as Sam’s eyes widened. The girl even gripped Jess’ hand tighter, the woman shooting him a look he didn’t notice. Oh Sammy.... Bobby lifted a brow.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah... Uh.. I um... I’m actually in a relationship... I met someone amazing about a month ago and... It’s serious.” Dean started, his tongue feeling suddenly swollen and his mouth dry.

“What’s she like?” Bobby asked, spearing another forkful and taking a bite.

Dean’s grip on his silverware loosened as his palms began to sweat nervously. “Well um... it’s uh... well... it’s not so much a girl as... a guy.”

The clang of a fork hitting a plate followed by silence. Dean flinched and slowly lifted his gaze from his plate to the person across from him, his father. His stomach dropped at the look on John’s face.

Disgust.

Disappointment.

Disapproval.

No turning back now.

“His name is Castiel and he’s an animator. He’s amazing.” Dean could feel an easy smile forming and he was powerless to fight it. “He has a great sense of humor and he doesn’t always get my pop culture references, but we can talk about art and he has an amazing way of looking at things. He’s-”

“If you say ‘he’ one more time, I’ll tape your mouth shut.” John’s voice cut out, interrupting the flow of nervous babble spewing from Dean. His jaw snapped shut with an audible click. He swallowed roughly, doing his best not to squirm under the look his father had fixed on him.

It was silent again for a long moment. Tension lay heavily in the air, suffocating the people around the table. Sam shifted nervously. Jess didn’t even notice the vice like grip Sam had on her hand, her fingers going white. Bobby was oddly silent, studying Dean closely. Thinking.

“I don’t like it.” John continued.

“Dad-” Dean tried, but stopped as his dad held up a hand. Bobby frowned.

“I get it. You’re confused. You never had a mother’s influence in the years it counted.”

“Dad-”

“No. This is a phase. You’ll stop this once you realise that.”

A frustrated bang against the table drew everyone’s attention to Sam. The youngest Winchester had finally let go of Jess’ hand and set his silverware down with more force than he’d intended. His peridot eyes were narrowed on their father.

“You have got to be kidding...”

John frowned at Sam. “I’m serious. He’s just confused. We can fix this, though. Find him a good young woman and-”

“How blind are you?” Sam started, looking more and more like a dog baring his teeth. Dean really needed to stop thinking while stressed. “He’s not confused. And he’s not doing anything wrong. Geeze, dad. Where the hell have you been the last ten years? Dad, Dean’s been interested in guys a lot longer than he’s let himself act on it. And now, when he’s finally comfortable enough to tell us, you shoot him down? That’s bull shit.”

John straightened his back and glowered. “No. What’s bull shit is that he thinks this is normal. I have never expected anything of him but to be a good son and be happy.”

“Bull shit!” Sam snapped. Dean jumped slightly in his chair, looking between his brother and father.

“Guys.. can we not do thi-” He tried, voice coming out as the peacemaker he’d always been. He was ignored as usual by the two, Bobby watching Dean closely and Jess offering an apologetic look to Dean.

“Dean has done nothing, but do what you’ve asked of him! He’s done everything to be the best son you expect him to be and do without questioning! You moved us around so often and not once did he complain! You told him to be a big brother to me and watch out for me! He did it! You told him to pack his stuff and get in the car and leave any ties he had behind! He did it! You told him Winchesters marry women and have kids. He dated a woman that made him miserable and had a son with her that he hardly sees!” Sam stated, standing up now. John had risen to his feet as well, both leaning over the table and glaring at one another.

“Guys, come on, don’t do this...” Dean spoke up again. He honestly felt invisible with how they ignored him.

“Right. And his idea of being a good son is going off and dating another man? He’s a Winchester! We marry women. We have families! You know this! Not once did he ever look at another guy growing up-”

“Oh that’s rich. You wouldn’t know if you walked in on them. You were too busy drinking yourself into oblivion to notice Dean trying to figure himself out right under your nose!”

“THAT’S ENOUGH!” Dean finally shouted, standing up as well, fists slamming against the tabletop and causing it to jump and shudder under the force. The clink of glass against glass rang harshly in the room as they looked to the elder Winchester son. Jess had cringed back, wide brown eyes staring at Dean in shock. Bobby just tilted his head to get a good look at Dean.

John was silent a long moment, taking his eldest in. Dean stood, fists shaking and shoulders shuddering under the effort to remain still. He was breathing heavily, doing his best to steady it and calm down.

Slowly, John shook his head. “Sorry. But no. No. I can’t encourage this. It’s not right. I can’t approve of this.”

And just like that, Dean’s world crumbled around him. His chest tightened and suddenly it was difficult for Dean to breathe. It felt like his airway was closing up and his lungs constricting. His vision blurred, but whether it was from lack of oxygen or from the odd wetness forming in the corner of his eyes, he wasn’t sure. He dropped his gaze to the table.

“I uh... I should-” He rasped out, his mouth going dry and lungs burning from being denied air. He was trying! His throat just wouldn’t let him breathe!

“Dad, leave.” Sam’s voice was surprisingly even. Dean’s gaze remained firmly on the table before him.

“What?” John asked, incredulous now.

“Leave.”

“Why should I-”

“Dean wanted us here to share this with him... because it’s part of him and we’re important to him... He didn’t ask to have a family lunch so you could do this...” Sam paused, turning to study his brother’s tense and shaking shoulders and his bowed head. His strong, stiff upper lip, older brother. The one he’d always looked up to and had always taken care of him. “...Leave, Dad...”

“I came with, Bo-”

“Go sit in the truck, John.” Bobby’s gruff voice cut in. It was silent as John turned to stare at Bobby in shock. “Go!” Bobby snapped.

Dean didn’t look up as John left. The door slammed and it took every ounce of control not to cringe at the sound. He could feel Sam’s eyes on him and he just knew the kicked puppy look was on his brother’s face. He couldn’t bring himself to care. He just wanted to go home and hide. To just curl up and hide away from the world and the disappointment of his father, that look like he’d betrayed the man he’d so desperately looked up to. But more than anything that Dean could feel, was the overwhelming wish that Castiel was there beside him. The wish that he could just curl up with Castiel and forget this talk had ever happened. Pretend he wasn’t a terrible son and a disappointment. That he wasn’t a mistake.

“...Dean?” Sam ventured, voice hesitant as he shifted just slightly closer to his brother. Blinking a few times to clear his vision, Dean lifted his gaze to his baby brother. Sam’s brows drew together in concern and his gaze softened. “...Tell me about, Castiel?” he asked, and Dean knew his brother was trying to get a smile out of him again. He hesitated, though. Bobby had been silent until John had finally gotten out of hand.

“Yes, I’d love to hear about him...” Jess added, his tone sincere as was the gentle look in her eyes as she looked Dean over.

Dean looked between the two before slowly looking to Bobby. He wasn’t sure what he’d see there. And that uncertainty had him almost sick with fear. He couldn’t take two rejections in a day. Not from his father and the man he considered an uncle. What he found, however, was a look of hesitant acceptance and the want to understand. Bobby seemed to catch on to what Dean was waiting on.

“How long have you known?” Classic Bobby, approach this with easy questions and get all the information before making a decision.

“Junior High... I... fooled around a bit in high school, but... we were never there long enough for me to.. really date anyone...” Dean shifted a bit, shoulders drawing in close to himself under Bobby’s gaze. “Cas is... the first actual guy I’ve dated...”

Bobby’s gaze narrowed thoughtfully for a moment. “... You happy with him?”

The younger nodded eagerly, green eyes fogging up once more. He wasn’t about to cry, damn it! “Yes... Bobby, he’s... No one has ever made me as happy as he does.... I can’t stop thinking about him, simple things. Like which would he prefer? or... things he’d say about everyday moments... I can look at him and imagine him in my life...” He did not just feel a tear roll down his cheek. Nope. He was just imagining it.

Bobby’s expression changed drastically at that and he sighed. “Ah hell... This don’t change a thing, ya idjit... You’re still you....” He paused and looked Dean over before running a hand through his hair. “And you’re always gonna be family regardless of who ya fall in love with.” Bobby finished, wrapping an arm around Dean’s shoulders and pulling him into a familiar, albeit mildly awkward, hug. If Dean cried into his shoulder and clung to him, no one said anything, and he wouldn’t confirm or deny it.

♥

Closing shop Monday, Dean went about cleaning up while Castiel watched him. The man had a bag resting on a chair on the counter by the till, the man himself seated and flipping through the newest draft for the next issue of Supernatural. It was calming so far, just having the man’s presence in the shop with him.

“.....I told my family.” Castiel finally spoke up after a long moment of silence. Dean silently hoped it had gone well for Cas.

“How’d it go?” He asked, drying off another tube and setting it aside.

“It went. Did you?” Castiel asked, lifting his gaze for a second before turning back to the black and white rough sketches before him.

Dean’s movements paused here and he shrugged. He really didn’t want to think of it. “Sammy was ecstatic... wouldn’t shut up about it.” he stated, knowing that would be safe. He could feel Castiel studying him before the sound of a page turning and a started, muffled gasp. He turned, gaze landing on the page Castiel was on. In the panels, a roughly sketched out version of John Winchester and Sam Winchester argued while the ghost of Dean stood back and tried to make them stop. The chapter title read, barely legible in Dean’s messy scrawl, _In My Time of Dying_.

The shop was silent for a long moment before Castiel lifted a his gaze to meet Dean’s own green. Understanding was there in those all too blue eyes. Understanding and something similar to love. Castiel looked like he wanted to say something before deciding it best not to. He shut it and set the rough draft aside. Slowly, he stood and made his way over to place a kiss to Dean’s lips. “Ready to go?”

Clearing his throat, Dean nodded. “Yeah.... just let me lock up.” he replied. Castiel nodded and went over, packing up the comic pages and supplies Dean needed for them. He followed Dean out of the shop, the taller locking the door.

“I’m... eager to see your home...”

“It’s not much...”

“You don’t need to do anything to impress me, Dean...”

“Right... Oh, uh... before I forget...”

“Yes?”

“How do you feel about snakes?”


End file.
